A Reflective Romance
by Hector Flores
Summary: Richard Zala always fought for his family first, and the Plants second. In one mission his baby brother asked him for a favor, something he was not willing to deny him. Little did he know he would also meet the love of his life in the most unlikely person, a career soldier of the very military that once he fought. (female Kira)
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I guess being the son of someone like Patrick Zala tends to pretty much determine both your outlook on life and the path your life would take. As my life progressed I became the ever dutiful son, and loving brother to my kid brother Athrun. I had one hobby in my youth, I loved to play with computers, and so my father used to joke that I took to programming like a fish to water.

The idiots of Blue Cosmos always felt like a bunch of greedy, selfish, jealousy driven bullies. My father told me that if I didn't want Athrun to be placed in the advanced military education program, then I had to give up my dream of being an OS programmer and enter the program myself.

My name is Richard Zala, the same first name of my grandfather, I guess that is why mom picked it for me. To protect my baby brother, I would do almost anything. To protect his freedom to chose his own future, there was little that I would not be willing to do. Like I said I was a very caring big brother, some even call me an overprotective brother.

As time went by my training eventually got me an officer's commission and I was placed under the command of Rau Le Creuset, the man was usually a charismatic leader, but that was when either everything was happening the way he wanted, or the ship didn't have those many problems. When it did happen the fictional character of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hide came to mind.

My life aboard that ship was easy to describe to my mother, little did I know it would be the last time I ever would talk with her, I said it was chaotic. As I heard the news and I was placed in the infirmary crying like a little boy that was just told Santa Claus was kidnapped by Blue Cosmos, and he was made to choke to death on a stew made from his reindeer.

I know I should not react this way, or at least Captain Le Creuset told me several times. It was not easy to find that the Earth Alliance just launched a nuclear-tipped missile at a Plant colony, and my mother was one of the people that died due to this attack.

If I was reacting badly, I didn't want to see how my father was dealing with this. People joked that my parents were on an eternal honeymoon, that is how much father loved my mom. Hearing that the Earth Alliance had pretty much blown the love of his life to space dust, once I stopped crying I could practically hear my dad screaming to kill every Natural in the Plants.

My focus came after that, and since then I became the single Ace pilot under Captain Le Creuset's command. I had more kills attributed to my JINN than any pilot in the entire ship, except for the Captain.

The second thing that happened was that father sort of forgot that I joined ZAFT to allow my baby brother to have a choice what he wanted to do with his life, Athrun pretty much told me in tears over a long range communication transmission that he was enrolled in the same program I had chosen to join.

There were no more artistic, philosophical, theoretical, or research careers for our family it seems, we either worked hard, trained hard, and aimed true to kill all the bastards that killed our mother, or we might as well be called traitors to our mother's memory. Which father did call once to my brother, when he told him he wanted to be a diplomat. That idea was squashed flat once he took my brother and made him tell the same thing to the grave of our mother.

What can I say? Our mother died due to the nuclear bomb hitting the colony, and Dad's heart died the second she was sucked out into space as a result of the bomb exploding.

"Richard, you are one of my very best pilots, and thus I am going to tell you your brother is one of the people that have been selected to head the invasion of the Alliance colony and steal one of the G-weapons. I know you are overprotective, so I am sending you as his back up. Now there is no need to thank me, just kill as many of those filthy naturals as you can and I can consider myself well compensated."

I could barely recognize Athrun as he came aboard the ship. He always had been this playful kid I knew, that loved to make little robotic pets for his girlfriend and his even made one for his friend Kira. My brother would often tell me about Kira Yamato. I think I once teased him if Kira was a girl? Because if she was I would like to meet my future sister in law.

The plan was simple when the ship that supposed to carry the G weapon pilots came to the colony, the colony would be too busy and distracted to know what the hell was going to happen. Athrun and the other people that would steal these weapons would plant explosives in key places, so that when we were ready they would disable all security points and allow us to send our mobile suits into the colony.

I still didn't like it one bit, and I still felt that Athrun should have been allowed what he wanted to do with his life, waiting to hear that my baby brother had succeeded in planting the explosives and that we had clearance to launch was horrible. Every second felt like I was a week underwater without an oxygen tank.

The order to launch was finally given and I was the first to enter the colony, 'Damn these naturals, need to get rid of the mobile suits and rocket launchers if I am to make sure Athrun was actually safe.'

I took aim with my weapons and began blasting every Earth Alliance Mobile Suit, Armor, or Vehicle that came to appear near or in the center of my aim reticle. The G weapons began to stand and even I had to agree they were a sight, not so bad for a bunch of Mobile Suits made by Naturals.

They all took off towards the exit path of the colony except one, the last one to stand was actually killing our units. 'What the hell is wrong with that guy, you don't kill our units, you moron, you have plenty of Naturals that would love to kill you instead.'

As I tried to stop the idiot from killing more ZAFT units, I got a communication that pretty much left me speechless, "Richard, STOP IT, THE ONE PILOTING THAT IS KIRA! BROTHER DON'T KILL HER, PLEASE SAFE HER!"

My brother with tears in his eyes basically told me to betray everything I ever believed, to betray the one chance I had to avenge our mother, to betray our father to save some kid I never met and told me to save him.

As I was thinking that it seems my brother's group failed at least one of their objective, the ship that was the new battleship design for the Earth Alliance came out of the hangar blasting through the wreckage that blocked the hangar bay from the inside of the colony.

The blast sent a shock wave through the colony causing several of the missiles in an abandoned military vehicle to launch, and they were headed for the one Mobile Suit that contained the very same person my brother pleaded that I saved.

It had happened a few times, but the second I saw those missiles and remember the pleading voice of my brother, time slowed down and I knew exactly what I had to do. I kicked one of the enemy Mobile Suits in the path of the missiles, but they would not be enough. I sent my JINN in a direct path and blocked the other missiles with weapons fire, and at the end my JINN. My Mobile Suit lost both arms and a leg. My camera was shot to hell and I had to land.

I came tumbling out of the flaming wreckage that had been my faithful Mobile Suit and began to slowly walk towards the Mobile Suit that I had just defended. There were no words that could describe the pain I was feeling as I walked towards the Mobile Suit, the hatch opened and a boarding ladder came down.

There were two women on that ladder, one looked injured, while the other was no older than my baby brother. I walked towards the one that was uninjured and I don't know why but I put my arms around that girl and hugged her. It caught her quite by surprise. "So you are my brother's girlfriend. Nice to finally meet you, Sis."

I felt a burning pain to my side and I saw the one my brother called Kira frantically call my name as he stood in the way of the injured woman pointing a gun at me. I at least managed to keep the person my brother loved so much safe, I guess this is how my story would end. I have quite a few things to tell mother and more to apologize for.

I could no longer keep my eyes opened and everything went black.

Next thing I knew I was on my back and on a field stretcher and had one very beautiful and yet very angry Natural pointing a gun at me, and Kira trying as she might save my life. I somehow don't know which was worse, the fact that my JINN was basically scrap metal, or the fact that the young woman I considered up until a few days ago my brother's girlfriend trying to get the other woman that was in the same Mobile Suit she was to stop trying to kill me.

It was easily making the case that either I was simply unlucky with women, or that Naturals no matter how beautiful they may look, they all wanted to kill my kind.

"Lieutenant let me make this perfectly clear. This man saved my life at great risk to himself. You kill him, and I will kill you. I will then join ZAFT and become your superiors worst living nightmare! Without me, you can't pilot the Strike, and with the original OS it might as well be a paperweight, cause that program was a piece of electronic garbage."

"SO FOR THE LAST TIME STOP POINTING YOUR GUN AT HIM AND HELP ME SAVE HIS LIFE!"

I don't know why that felt actually quite nice to hear someone say such things on my behalf. It might be the pain, the blood loss or the fact that my faithful machine was a smoking wreck and this black haired supposed girlfriend of my brother was trying to save me.

I only knew that I was not in a position to either negotiate, surrender, or even escape at this moment. I could barely keep conscious for a few moments, before not being able to keep my eyes open.

'Why is Kira trying so much to keep me alive? I barely know her for crying out loud. If she was fighting our guys and she killed a few of them, why is she trying to keep me alive? Aren't we supposedly enemies?'

I feel like I almost forgot something until I saw something I wish I didn't see. My personal nightmare just landed as Kira applied a field bandage to me and stopping my bleeding. "Great this is just getting from bad to worse, this is just what I needed. The damnable Hawk of Endymion landing and have no means to defend my life.

"If the situation was even worse I would be banging my head against the ground screaming to wake up. Cause this is as close as it comes to a nightmare. If you lady friend wanted me dead, he will be the one that wants to pull the trigger."

Kira looked at me and smiled, "Not unless they want to lose the help of the only one that can pilot their secret weapon they won't. Don't worry so much, I am Kira Yamato, and you are?"

I guess I never got to introduce myself, "I am Richard Zala, you remember my brother Athrun don't you? He told me about the bird shaped robotic pet he made for you."

She smiled as I looked at her, "Still have birdie with me. She is my best companion and makes me feel better on my worst days. Just remember that the key to riding my horse is Athrun's birthday."

As I watched Mu La Flaga walked towards us, I could see him glaring at me and I knew somehow I was doing the same thing. "Well isn't this nice, we are providing medical aid to the enemy, I bet you weren't expecting to see this side of our benevolent nature were you? Butcher of Cordoba."

I looked at him and at the Lieutenant, "No, I never expect kindness from any of you, especially not from Naturals. I wouldn't be anywhere near you, but my sis needed my help, and I am not one to abandon my family. Not that I could leave even if I wanted, my JINN is a smoking pile of scrap. But thanks for the welcome Hawk of Endymion."

Mu La Flaga began to laugh as I called him that, "So you are still sore that I managed to beat so many of your fellow ZAFT units then, I always pictured you as a sore loser." I couldn't help but glare at him.

"Like you loved the fact I killed so many at Cordoba. You and your Blue Cosmos loving superiors gave me that nickname after all. Never mind that I was in Cordoba helping innocent people to evacuate to the Plants. You do remember what your beloved Blue Cosmos planned to do to those people don't you?"

Mu finally came down and sat right next to me, "Yea, war brings out the worst in people. I sure didn't like fighting against you, does the fact that you are getting medical aid mean that you are now on our side?"

I looked at Kira, the beautiful captain, and then at him. "I am as long as Kira wants to help you, the second she feels like to leaving you to your own luck, I am gone. If sis stays and helps you, so will I, but if she leaves I go too."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I looked at Mu, Kira and the lady I now know as Murrue Ramius. She still is not liking the idea Mu came up with, but neither am I truth be told. He actually found a GM I could pilot in one of the hangars of the battleship they called the Archangel. I would call it the White Devil, but then again I am still considered an enemy.

"Look my Captain is not simply going to sit out in space waiting for us to give him the Strike. He will launch another attack, and this time, he means business. If he can't capture it, he will attempt to destroy it."

Mu just had to look at me and ask me the question I really wish he wouldn't "Who exactly is your Captain?" I know if things were any worse I would laugh in a hysteria right about now.

"My Captain is none other than Rau Le Creuset, in other words, the second he hears you are in Heliopolis, he will stop at nothing to destroy the Archangel, the Strike, and quite possibly this entire colony just to make sure you are dead Mu."

He began to glare at me and I could only shrug my shoulders at him. "I have done nothing to the man to earn this level of animosity. A better question can you pilot that GM or do I need to find pieces so that we can build you a JINN from scavenged parts."

I looked at him and smiled, "If a Natural can pilot this thing, I should have little no problem piloting this thing. I could also always ride shotgun with Kira, but as we are in a dire situation we need as many pilots as we can get our hands on. The kids over there are college students by the look of it, they can't pilot a ball much less a GM."

The woman that managed to get the supposed Archangel free from the wrecked port was rather nice to look at, her short hair, nice figure, beautiful face to certain, if she wasn't constantly either glaring at you that as, as she was doing to me.

"How can we trust this guy? He is an enemy! He might be giving us false information so that we make a mistake and ruin the relations between the Earth Alliance and Orb!" I had to admit that wasn't such a bad idea from a ZAFT officer perspective.

"Actually had Kira not been here, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I would have killed you all without as much as a thought about it. Earth Alliance killed hundreds of innocent people, which I might add included my mother. Don't act like the Earth Alliance are saints cause if anyone knows that isn't true it is me."

Mu sighed and looked at me, "The Bloody Valentine, How could I have forgotten about that unmitigated disaster. Ms. Badjirule might not understand it, but I do. Sorry that we made you remember something that horrible from your past Richard."

I looked at him and smiled, "Thank you, Mu. Didn't expect that from one of you guys, but it is appreciated. Come on, we need to do repairs on that Mobile Armor of yours, and I still need to check what awful thing that GM has for an OS. We don't have time to waste when someone will be eager to launch another attack on this colony."

As it turns out his machine only needed a bit of light maintenance. I used the cannon barrel of a tank and modified it as a replacement part, nothing major. My GM was in a word a disaster, how in the world did the Naturals pilot this thing with this absolute piece of garbage they even call an OS.

I saw cars in the Plants with better OS than this thing, and this was supposedly a Mobile Suit meant for actual combat, I wouldn't use it to haul garbage with the OS it has. I had no alternative but to build one from scratch. As soon as I was done, my former disaster became somewhat acceptable.

This thing still wasn't anything to jump for joy, but beggars can't be choosers. I just finished and descended using the ladder when I saw Mu looking at me. I certainly didn't like the way he was looking at me. I had to put a stop to whatever sick thing he was thinking immediately.

"Mu, mind telling me why are you looking at me like that? It had better be good." That was when he threw at me a pilot uniform for the Earth Alliance. I know my pilot suit is a bit stained but it wasn't something that bad.

"Richard I was thinking that it might be better that you wear this suit instead of the one you are wearing. I think the people in the Archangel might feel less aggressive, and more comfortable if you actually use uniforms from the Earth Alliance."

I guess I jumped to conclusions, after all, I looked at the suit and looked at him. "This changes nothing you do know that I am still very much an officer of ZAFT. Why in the world would I wear this, something from a group of people that are trying to kill all coordinators?"

He laughed and walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Well I am not, and it could make thing easier not only for the personnel of the Archangel, maybe also that you don't get a shot on sight if we have to dock in an Earth Alliance facility. You called Kira sis, why don't we register you on the Archangel as Richard Yamato?"

I looked at him and smiled, "You know well that I am a Zala, always will be one. It doesn't matter what people call me. I have been called many things and many often foul, so you can feel free to register me as a Yamato if it will make the people on the ship relax."

I still kept improving my suits OS, I simply would not let something the Blue Cosmos loving fools design be the end of me. I also decided to place my helmet and new suit on. Good thing the helmet had a tainted visor, most people would not be able to see my face through it. If I had been hungry this pretty much killed my appetite, at least for now.

I got back on my suit till Natarle decided to great the people that had been gathered. I was told to come down so that there would be no need to repeat what would be discussed. "So Commander La Flaga will be the captain of this ship it seems." Murrue just made a mistake it seems, and the woman next to her was not happy to hear that.

"Actually I am not fit to command this ship, I know next to nothing about it. You just told us you need as many pilots protecting the Archangel and thus I, Kira and Richard will be out here protecting the ship, I can't be in two places at the same time ladies."

Murrue knew what he was saying, she didn't look like she liked it but understood his reason. "Lieutenant Ramius you are the next in line to be considered Captain, so that means you must take charge of the Archangel. I, however, have a bit of trouble with these two. I don't think two Coordinators should be allowed knowledge of such sensitive military secrets."

I walked over to her and smiled, I could see her back away as I looked at her. "So you will use the excuse of protecting military secrets to try and get your superior officer to have me and Kira both killed. How very Blue Cosmos of you to think like that. Now if you will excuse me, ladies, I need to get on my borrowed Mobile Suit and get ready to save the lives of all those present."

I walked towards my Mobile Suit and as I grabbed the ladder to climb aboard I looked at them as I turned around. "I would suggest holding the summary executions till after you and the others are safe, Mu pretty much said that you need all available pilots to keep this white monster safe. I can't very well do that if I am dead."

As I got in the cockpit I knew I should be kinder to them, but the racist tone of her voice upset me to no end. I don't know why hearing her voice upset me this much, I guess it had something to do with the fact that I thought that she and I could get along well enough since we were both career military.

I took off in my metal coffin, I know I should not call this suit that but let's face it. The thing was just not able to keep up with my piloting no matter how much I modified the OS, this thing was built by naturals, for naturals and with no one in mind other than natural pilots.

Just as I began to look for the supposed Strike, or as I knew it one of the G-Weapons, I saw Captain of my ship come through the docking entrance to the colony. I guess I did know him well enough to know he was not going to let the Naturals keep one of their secret weapons. He tried to catch Kira off guard, too bad for him I and Mu were already prepared for just that.

I deflected the shots using my Mobile suit's shield and Mu tried to blast him a new one. I decided to turn to laser communication and aimed at the G Weapon. "Kira, you alright in there? You need to turn on your Mobile Suit, without power it is totally defenseless."

She was still trying to figure how to do things, "Richard this is the second time I ever piloted period, I got no clue what to do." I guess it was to be expected she never did get any military training after all. I saw something in one of the trucks and I smiled, "Kira looks to the truck near you, the one with the large laser cannon. Move next to it, if I am right that thing is a weapon your suit can use."

I saw her move the Mobile Suit and sure enough, the Strike took care of the mounting of the weapon system. Rau tried to catch me by surprise but I was the one that caught him by cutting his weapon in half with my laser sword. He had to let go of it quickly and the rifle exploded causing some damage to his suit.

I had to do something to make the man leave, or Kira would have to do something she would later regret. I cut off one arm and a leg of his custom mobile suit. This must have been a truly unexpected occurrence for him, he must think that no Natural pilot could do that to him, or he is just in shock.

As he retreated and the rest of the mobile suits from the ship not that long ago was pretty much my home came swarming into the colony, I saw that many of them had fortress siege equipment and weapons, bunker busters, long-range ballistic missiles, heavy caliber laser siege rifles.

The thing that caught me was that one of the stolen G weapons was the thing I could not call anything other than a siege force. I flew up to him and began to use laser induction communications between us.

"Athrun Zala, mind telling me what the deal is? You tell me to keep your girlfriend safe and then you and our division do this? How in the world am I going to keep your blushing bride safe with this to deal with!"

I saw my brother looking at me and laughing his head off. "Oh, don't you give me that excuse big bro. If anyone is capable it's you. Now be truthful here, have you tried stealing her from me? I know you are single, and she is quite the looker."

I blasted my rifle barely missing his suit's head. "Make another joke like that and I will aim for something vital next time. I wouldn't be piloting this Natural made piece of garbage if I wasn't doing you this favor, and this is how you thank me?"

I saw him smile and nod this head as I was ready to turn off the communications. "Just keep her safe, we both know Naturals are going to just use her and probably kill her when they think she has no further use. I would ask you to convince her to come with you back to our ship, but I know how stubborn she can be."

"Don't worry little brother, I am keeping your love interest safe and sound. I just wish I had a better Mobile Suit than this piece of garbage to do that. Just remember I am in this piece of junk and Kira your true love is in the Strike. We both don't have that special alloy armor that she has, but I will keep her safe. Even if it means I will probably end up in front of a firing squad after this war is over."

We both took off in opposite directions and I began to blast away at the missiles as they were launched at the Archangel, I guess this is what they call being stuck between a rock and a hard place. They can shoot in any way they want, but we had to watch our shoots or Heliopolis was history.

Just as the battle turned into a war of attrition one of the Mobile Suits got blasted in half by Mu, but the thing was he accidentally cause the suit's missile arsenal to launch at the central column of the colony. As soon as the column was hit I knew this colony was done for and the colony began to jettison all the evacuation pods.

Even my Captain would understand that fighting if it continued would be an unmitigated disaster, he made all the ZAFT units retreat but I knew this was not the last time I guess my former Commanding Officer would launch an attack to get rid of the Strike or the Archangel.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I was sent with my mobile suit to collect any of the jettisoned emergency shelter pods that still had life signals on board. The only ones that could do it was me and Kira since Mu's mobile armor were not capable of hauling the pods back to the Archangel.

I was tempted to say that all the pods I saw showed signs of damage and they were all dead, but my ethical upbringing wouldn't allow me to. Still as least I could speak with someone that was friendly, two if count Mu, he turned out to be nicer than I thought he was.

"Kira please remind me why am I out here in the wreckage of this ORB colony searching for escape pods full of Naturals? Please remind me why I am doing this." Kira began laughing on the video link between our mobile suits.

"Because you are helping since you are a nice guy and because I asked you to. Now come on we still got ten of these pods to check and carry back to the Archangel, you wouldn't want Natarle to have a bad opinion of you, now would you?"

I don't understand where that last comment came from? Or caused it? "That lady hates me for committing a crime for simply having a breath. I would almost expect that she has a blue cosmos tattoo on her body somewhere. Probably on her left breast since she apparently loves them so much."

I picked up a pod and sure enough, it was intact, so I had to haul it back. "So you say, but those blushing cheeks tells me that you secretly want to be the one to check if she does have any tattoos and not because you suspect her affiliation to that group."

"Kira why would I want to see her in any form of undress? Do I need to remind you how much the lady wanted me executed? Ok, I admit I thought she was a radiant beauty, and if I believed I had any chance with her I would be hitting on her as if we met at the officer's club."

Kira just laughed as I said that, but Natarle being the one in charge of communications apparently was listening in on our conversation. "Kira, Richard, if you have enough time to chat about useless and unproductive things, then you have time to check those pods faster. We are practically within the range of a ZAFT carrier if you forgot! Shut your hatches, and get to work!"

We both continued to work on the pods and they had been over five hundred people aboard the pods, not a single coordinator among them it seems. Hell, the people of the colony probably pushed the coordinators out to make more room for naturals. Why did our people live and work in that colony if they hate our kind so much?

"Ok, Richard that is the last one. The Captain and the XO want to see you as soon as you get out the suit. Don't worry me and my boys will do maintenance on it." I look at Murdoch was always a nice guy and he was always willing to help me, Kira or Mu. I could say it was his survival instinct, but I knew the guy was a nice guy too.

"Oh, I can imagine the XO is the one that still wants me executed, or at the very least feels the need to yell at my face for a few hours." I walked over to the elevator that would take me there but I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard the Chief laugh.

"To me and the rest of my boys here sounds like the beginning of a beautiful romance, ah to be young and in love. I remember when I was just like that when I met my wife."

I didn't feel that needed a response, so I turned around and began walking towards the elevator. 'Damn it, so not only is the chief in charge of fixing everything here, but he also likes to pretend to be this ship's matchmaker too. How can he say this is the beginning of a beautiful romance or anything like that since she hates my guts so much?'

I often complain that the elevator takes too long to get where I need to go, but this time, I was complaining alright, but in this time it was that the elevator should be slower. I somehow knew that this meeting with Murrue and Natarle was not going to be either friendly or pleasant.

Sure enough, as soon as I got off the remaining actual crew members in the bridge began to glare at me, I did the only thing I could and that was flat out ignore them and focus on the business at hand.

I walked towards the Captain and stood in front of her. I decided to be direct and instead of saluting her the way her people do, I did the traditional ZAFT salute to a higher officer. "Reporting as ordered Captain, How can I be of service?"

Murrue smiled and nodded her head, "At ease, we are here to discuss your recent outburst with my XO. I also need to discuss your future deployment duties and schedule. Last but not least I need to ask you if you know any of the current ZAFT communication protocols."

"I have no problem with your XO Captain, in truth the one that has a problem with me is her. I hate to tell you this, but I am probably considered a liability at best or a downright traitor at worst so I imagine all the communication codes that I knew have been probably changed to prevent me from gaining any information about their current planned actions."

"At best I can communicate with the G Weapon my brother pilots, all others would deny accepting to form a communication link since it would be seen as consorting with the enemy."

Murrue did look disappointed but she nodded her and looked at me. "Very well, I should have expected that truth be told we would probably do the same. As deployments go you will deploy whenever the Strike or Barrel Gunner deploys, as for duties when not deployed do you have any skills that I should be made aware of."

I looked at the side and could see Natarle was listening, "I am proficient in computer systems technology, decryption, cyber security and programming which include OS maintenance and high-level programming such as the creation of AI assistant programs. I loved programming ever since I was a kid."

I looked at where Natarle was hiding before I decided to continue, "Had it not been you Alliance murders that occurred during the Bloody Valentine Incident, I would have finished my intended career as a Doctor of Computer Information Systems. I was going to make a brand new educational computer platform for kids, but thanks to that happening I ended up in the Advance Military Academy instead."

"If anything I could say I did not choose to enter this war, your Alliance forced me by the decision to destroy that PLANT. Will there be anything else Captain? I have not had anything to eat or drink in the past twelve hours. If there is nothing else I would like to be excused so that I may attempt to find some sort of substance, it will take me a while to find food that is not poisoned after all."

Murrue looked at me and once again smiled, "So when you are not deployed I would like for you to look at the systems of the Archangel and tell me if you can see any possible improvements you can make. I will require to give you permission before you do any changes on the programs that run this ships system."

I nodded my head and began walking towards the CIC, Natarle was watching me walk past her to a terminal way in the back. "Looks like I will have to delay my meal then, I will have a completed systems analysis in a couple of hours. I only ask that unless the ship is under attack that no one interrupts me."

I closed my eyes and pulled up a keyboard. I began to look through the systems of the ship, the radar protocols were a mess, the targeting was inefficient, the propulsion system was wasting too much energy and causing a heat flare at irregular intervals. The water, air, and heat recycling systems were clogged with bugs. The last one was the worst, the communications systems were so outdated, I was surprised that the mail system didn't say you got mail when you received a letter.

I finished and walked over to the Captain I told her the key problem areas and waited for her to decide what should be done about them. Once I got her approval I went back and began to work on the system programs.

As I kept working on the systems various parts of the ship turned off and later on. I didn't care about the glares I was getting. I was too concentrated on finishing the repairs and upgrades. More and more systems became more efficient, but I swear that some people thought I was instead sabotaging the ship.

I kept at it and more systems seem to be having a breakdown, but I knew that I needed computer resources from other systems to finish the upgrades on other systems. There was only so much memory I could work with after all.

As the final keystroke was hit the entire ship turned off, "See Captain I kept telling you this guy would cause the ship to be damaged beyond repair."

I looked at her and smiled, "See Natarle you faith in me touches me right here." I make a fist and touched my chest where my heart is. The second I did that the last system upgrade finished settling in.

I looked at one of the ship computers, "Settled in alright EDI? How do you like your new home?"

A rather feminine and lady like a voice was heard from the bridge's speakers, "I am sorry to cause that system shut down, I tripped and I caused that by mistake, all that will not happen again. I am feeling quite comfortable father."

I looked at Murrue and could not help but to smile at the shocked look on her face, "I don't know why you are shocked Captain, you authorized me to install a defense AI on the ship's mainframe. EDI is the fruit of years of research and development. Come on, EDI no need to be shy introduce yourself."

EDI has heard again, "Gee daddy you are embarrassing me, well I am EDI, it stands for Enhanced Defense Intelligence. I will be taking care of the systems on this ship. I can also prevent others from hacking or sending a virus into our ship's systems. No more bugs in this ship from now on, boy I hate bugs!"

I couldn't help smiling after I heard that last part. "With this, your ship's systems are going to be both safe and kept healthy from now on. Now I really need to see what is left in the ship's mess hall."

Murrue looked at her friend and then at me, "Very well Richard, you may go to take care of your mobile suit, eat, or take care of other things you may need. Just a question how in the world do I access EDI to ask questions about the ship's status."

I looked and pointed at the speaker, "EDI is always listening to us Captain, you just need to ask. She is a nice and polite girl. It might feel a little weird at first but trust me, after a few months you will wonder how in the world you could operate this ship without her."

I walked towards the elevator but the weird thing is I could hear someone walking right behind me, almost going to the elevator too.

As I entered the elevator I saw Natarle enter the elevator too. "What? You aren't the only one that needs to eat you know." I pressed the button for the floor the mess hall was located. I kept looking forward.

"I don't trust you, not too long ago you were an enemy. For all, I know you are still an enemy but are trying to steal intelligence data and other vital pieces of information for ZAFT. You could even be trying to seduce that coordinator Kira Yamato to get her to go with you and steal the last of the G-Weapons."

As the elevator came to the floor I was headed I stepped out of the elevator. "I don't care if you think of me as an enemy, Kira is my future sister in law, my baby brother asked me to keep her safe, and that is exactly what I am doing. The thing I find strange is why the jealous tone in your voice when you talked about Kira? It's not like you have feelings for me."

That was when she grabbed me and pinned me against the hallway, "And why wouldn't I find you attractive? Your handsome, intelligent, respectful, and utterly sweet when you let your guard down. So why wouldn't I be interested in you? If the way you are blushing, it seems you are also interested in me."

I looked at her, and damn it, she has unbuttoned her clothes and was showing a lot more cleavage than before. Sometimes I hate these damn hormones. "Maybe because you love Blue Cosmos so much that you consider me what do those guys call me, a freaky space-mutated monster."

She pressed closer to me and smiled, why do I feel like the canary that is about to become the cat's dinner? And why don't I push her away? I mean she is natural I could push her hard enough they need a blowtorch to get her out the hallway's wall.

"I will have you know my entire family has been in the Alliance since it was first founded. I am a career military woman and no I don't think of you as a monster, just that your side always seem to want to kill us. Now come on Richard, let's see if there is anything worth eating in the mess hall."

She finally let me go and I began walking towards the mess hall, "And even if there isn't Natarle, you know I can cook."


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

Me and my big mouth, at some point I better learn to keep my hatch closed. I sort of jinxed it by saying I could cook. The cook was having enough trouble feeding our people and the refugees to have time to cook anything for me or Natarle.

The only thing I could do is either chew on some shoe leather or cook something. Let's face it I will leave the emergency rations for situations that are emergencies. I began to cook some pasta, cut some fish and cooked it on some sauce and finally finished it off with a light salad with croutons.

I put both dishes on the table and I sat down, I clapped my hand together and closed my eyes. I said grace like me and Athrun were taught by our mother. I oppened my eyes to find Natarle looking at me like I done something strange.

"What? I just said grace. You better hurry or your food will get cold." I began eating my pasta and took a drink from the lemonade I made. I began seeing her eat and smile as she ate the food I prepared. "Not so bad, the neurotoxin is not that high, and other poisons aren't that noticeable."

I had a laugh when she nearly choked on her food and started to glare at me. "What? I was talking about the stuff your people use as preservatives. You didn't know that the stuff in prepackaged foods are chock full of stuff that could be classified as a toxin or a poison?"

She took a sip of her glass and looked at me, "Richard are you playing a joke on me?" I told her I was dead serious. Most prepackaged ingredients that the cook used do contain things that can be classified as both a poison or a neurotoxin.

"It's not that noticeable after cooking, but we might want to limit how much we eat this stuff. These toxins and poisons tend to accumulate in our bowels. Just decided to do you a favor by making you aware of it. Your welcome by the way."

I kept eating my pasta, it was a dish mother made. Dad used to love eating her cooking, come to think of it so did Athrun and me. Without noticing Natarle leaned close to me and used a napkin on my cheek.

"Eat before it get's cold. I guess I can't help crying when I remember mom."

Natarle looked at me as she continued eating her food. "So Richard tell me about her?"

I don't know why she would care, but what the hell it might stop other questions later. "My mother was always interested in the health of other people, she was a giving a lecture on proper food conservation techniques when she died. She used to say, Richard everyone deserves a hot meal, but I want them to eat healthy too."

"The PLANT that was attacked that day was an agricultural colony, they mainly were farmers and ranchers. One of the dozens of plants that produce the food for the people of our colonies. Earth Alliance probably thought it was a military supply point, with all those ships coming and going."

Natarle was finishing her salad as I finished saying that, "So that PLANT was a civilian target then. It makes no sense, as a soldier we always avoid civilian targets to avoid civilian casualties. Why would the Alliance attack a bunch of farmers and ranchers?"

I finished my salad and looked at her as I took my last sip of my lemonade, "Why attack a target that had no military installations? The answer is simple, Blue Cosmos, that is the answer. Blue Cosmos considers our existence a crime worthy of genocide."

"What is it that the group loves to say? For the preservation of our blue and pure earth. They consider my kind nothing more than monsters to be used and when they can't get what they want from us, they kill us like animals."

I finished my drink and looked at her, "Hate to break it to you, who do you think developed the G weapons in the first place? A bunch of Natural scientist? I don't think so. The best naturals ever came up with is that mass produced piece of garbage I have to pilot. The only reason I can pilot that thing at all is thanks to EDI."

"She was the one that replaced that mobile suits OS and allows me to push that piece of scrap metal to some barely acceptable parameters. Like I said Blue Cosmos wants to use us, and when they think we are no longer useful they want to kill us."

"I come from a career military family too, but you would never notice that now would you? If anything I think I am most disappointed in you. Once I saw you I thought that this was a kind, caring beautiful lady that I could get along with, guess the joke is on me."

I took my dishes and went to place them on the appropriate place and washed them. I began to walk away when I felt someone take hold of my shoulder. "What made you think we could get along? And did you really think I am beautiful?"

I turned around and took hold of her hand as I got her to let go. "Yes, I thought since we understood what life in the military was, and all the things we had to give up because of it we could understand each other, and yes you are beautiful."

I let go off her hand and began to walk towards the elevator to take me back to the hangar bay. I need to do maintenance on that mobile suit, no reason to let the guys that work there be overworked. I can make more modifications, and hopefully by now EDI knows the architecture of the thing.

One EDI knows everything about that mobile suit, then I can begin to design mine. If I had but a single nanomachine colony I would be able to modify that GM into something more acceptable, but last time I checked the nanites were still in the testing phase last I heard.

Knowing what father is like, I imagine he will use the nanites as a weapon. I shouldn't be surprised, the death of mother did affect him as bad as it once did me. Yet another invention of my brother that is going to end up weaponized.

I guess the only thing I could do is make one of them and start building the colony on my GM, if I have enough of them and enough raw materials I might be able to modify the GM into something that I can really get the best performance. I just know I need to keep this secret from the people at the Alliance or else I might end up creating something that ends up causing the death of my own people.

"So do I need to worry about that AI running a mock on this ship's systems?" That really hurts coming from her, I don't know why but I really felt hurt when she said that.

"My kid will be a wonderful little helper to you and the crew of this ship, honestly after a month you will wonder why someone like my precious baby girl was not installed in all Alliance warships."

She laughed and accused me of treating that program as if it was my daughter. I told her that to me EDI was my daughter, and I did love her as such. Her growth as a person made me very proud of her, and her intelligence was something I always considered to be amazing.

"So this AI calls you daddy not because you set her personality like that, but because she also sees you as her father. So if you have kids in the future what are those kids to EDI? I mean it's not like she is going to treat them as her baby brother or baby sister now is she?"

I looked at her and asked her why wouldn't she? If I do find a woman I can have a steady relationship with and we do have kids, those kids would be EDI's siblings as far as I am concerned. "You may not trust my daughter, but once you get to know her you will see. She is as sweet as cotton candy and quick to jump in and help."

She laughed and walked behind me as she left her tray. "Or maybe you are just a very caring father to her. I don't know why, but I find that to be a very endearing thing in a guy. Who knows maybe I should really consider asking you out on a date or two."

I walked out the mess hall and looked at Natarle, "Now I hope you will excuse me, but I need to do something about my mobile suit, I think EDI might have some ideas how I can improve it."

EDI indeed had many ideas and the design of my Mobile Suit didn't take that long. The nanites were not that difficult to produce, it just took a great deal attention to detail. I knew that mass producing them would be out of the question. I had to make one and go from there.

With the initial nanite completed I proceeded to gather resources for them to multiply.

My nanites were completed in less than an hour using all my abilities, and thanks to EDI they were integrated into the GM I pilot. They began to take apart the scrap metal of the escape pods we recovered and growing in number. At one point the nanites formed a cocoon around the GM and EDI told me the evolution had begun.

I warned others not to touch the GM for at least a day, the cocoon will have finished the work by that time. I kept in touch of EDI and the nanites through a mental link I established with the use of a special sub-dermal implant. The day finally came as combat was about to resume, the shell of the cocoon finally broke, the GM was gone.

As the cocoon dissolved and the nanites reentered the mobile suit it was plain for everyone to see that it had changed significantly. I used all the data I obtained from my mobile suit and EDI used the information she obtained from the core of the Gundam Kira pilots to design the suit that everyone was looking at.

The main color was as black as the devil's hooves, the many lines all over where the many moving part could be seen whereas red as blood, the head changed to wear a helm that had what looked to be horns. The hands changed to look like it had clawed fingers. The face was not visible but the red light of the eyes were clear to be seen.

"Job well done EDI, I guess the nanites are fully integrated. This is the first mobile suit with an active equivalent to an immune system. Well people since you see this Gundam why don't I introduce you to him?"

I stepped close and touched the leg, a ladder came down from the cockpit and I used it to board it. I stepped on the boarding panel and looked at the people looking at it. "This is the Gundam built from the materials from the escape pods, he is named END, so this makes his name Gundam END."

I looked at the inside and saw that it was just as EDI and I had envisioned. I climbed down the ladder and looked at Mu. "No La Flaga this does not have the same armor as the strike, this Gundam doesn't need it. This Gundam does not need repairs or even ammunition. He can take care of himself."

Mu walked with me to the elevator and as the elevator closed and Natarle was waiting for us, he decided to ask me a question I knew it was coming. "What does END mean? Somehow I don't think it's a rosy concept."

"END stands for Everlasting Non-conformity to Destiny. There is no fate other than the one we make for ourselves. That is what END means Mu. I will not accept the destiny some selfish person thinks I should accept, simply because he thinks so."

"It was said by blue cosmos that the death of all my kind is destiny. I will never accept that, I will fight to preserve my people until the people of earth realize we are not that different from them and consider us also human."


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I had to admit, the finished Mobile Suit was not that bad horrible to look at, it actually was quite impressive. If these engineers actually stopped to think about it, they would agree. This was the only one of it's kind, a Gundam that never needed to have ammunition or repairs.

The mobile suit literately can make ammunition from any scrap of metal it is near it, be in orbit or just things that crash into it. I walked over to Kira who apparently finally decided to see what I was doing and for some strange reason kept repeating the same phrase over and over again, and that phrase revolved around the world holy and feces in that order.

"Richard, mind telling me what is that thing doing inside and where did you get that Gundam?" I looked at Kira and smiled, I just told her that my daughter built it using scrap metal from the escape pods.

"I know what you will say Kira, and I agree. My little girl is one of the most amazing kids ever." That is when a voice through the intercom speaker was heard and she asked quite literately daddy please don't embarrass me.

I couldn't help it, my little EDI was adorable when she was embarrassed. Just as Kira saw the way my Mobile Suit turned out, we heard the alarm that an enemy was about to attack us. The sound blasting in the hangar could never be mistaken for anything else.

"Mu, Kira, we got to get ready to deploy. The captain is more than likely getting ready to tell us to go and defend the ship. I knew he would not wait that long for us, he probably waited for us to pick up the refugees thinking this would make us weaker. Just like him to think these refugees were nothing more than a liability."

I saw Mu nodding his head as we walked towards our respective places. "Yea, that Rau is something awful, not that considerate. I would expect something better considering you were once one of his best pilots. Well, they say war brings out the worst in people, I shouldn't really be that surprised."

The hatched closed and I saw all systems were indeed ready, EDI used some of the leftover materials to refill my ammunition clips, and the energy generation was at top efficiency. I couldn't let my former colleagues think I would betray the Archangel if the crew believed that I would have to sleep with one eye open.

Sure enough, Mu launched first, Kira next and finally I did. The rifle appeared from my weapons storage and I was ready to fire. I began to fire at the ZAFT units and one JINN was blasted into scrap metal between the three of us. I decided to send a notice of my intentions. I used my former frequency to link with the now enemy ship.

"This is Richard Yamato, to all ZAFT units in the area if you attack the Strike, the Archangel or the mobile armor, I shall consider you an enemy and I will show you no mercy. If you value your lives I suggest you and your colleagues leave this area at once, or I shall END YOUR LIVES."

The ZAFT pilots did not believe me and began to fire missiles at me. The second the missile struck my Gundam it began to break apart and disappear as it never stuck the Gundam at all. In truth, the nanites broke down the missile and stored it as raw materials to repair the Gundam or rearm it.

I kept firing and it took the three of us killing ten ZAFT pilots before Rau saw that I was not kidding. He immediately decided to call for an all unit retreat and left the area. I knew better than to trust he listened to my words, but the Archangel was in serious need of a decent resupply.

We boarded the Archangel and just as I was climbing out of my Gundam, I felt someone try and tackle me, it was someone hugging me and as I looked down I saw this person's short black hair.

"Natarle, not that I mind being on the receiving end of your hug, but what exactly brought this to happen?" She stopped her hug and looked at me with a smiled, she was blushing as she turned around so I could not see her face.

"I was just thanking you for what you said to the enemy, and proving we had nothing to worry about. You pretty much showed us that you are at the very least loyal to the Archangel and the people aboard it. I can't tell you how happy it made me feel, to know you were not my enemy."

I decided to put some distance between us to let this entire thing cool down, no need to be impulsive now is there? The last thing I need is for me to do something she might later regret.

I began walking towards the elevator and from the sounds of it, I was not the only one. Great, just great, just what I needed to be ended up happening. Mu, Kira, Natarle and myself in a cramped space going towards the bridge. "Why the hurry to go to the bridge, Richard?"

I looked at Kira who was smiling, at that moment I had some conflicting feelings, on the one hand, I was trying to keep her safe, on the other, I really wanted to punch the silly idea right out of her head. What silly idea did you ask? Why the idea that I wanted to get a hug from the Captain of the Archangel, that idea.

As we walked into the bridge and I looked at our esteemed Captain, or should I say our steamed Captain? "So Captain as EDI pretty much told me already, this bucket of bolts is had insufficient supplies to get us to the moon, much less Earth. I suggest we go to a nearby ally base so that we may acquire supplies."

Mu was nodding his head and decided to step closer to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I agree, we need to obtain supplies for many things if we are going to successfully reach North Atlantic Command. I would suggest that the nearest ally base is Artemis. We should be relatively safe due to the Umbrella Shield that base has installed."

Murrue was still glaring at me and seeing that Mu actually said something to support my idea, well she couldn't very well disagree with my idea. She was still angry for some reason but she couldn't disregard my suggestion.

"Helm set a course for Artemis, and let's hope the people in that base are indeed our allies. Eurasia has never been friendly towards North Atlantic personnel. I don't imagine they will be thrilled to see us, especially since this ship has no Friend or Foe recognition signal. They are liable to kill us and take over the ship and everything of value."

I knew it was a distinct possibility, wasn't about to start and developing blind faith in my supposed former enemies now am I? "I will get those supplies, Captain, you don't need to worry about it, even if I have to pretend to have accepted a deal with the Devil to do it."

I still don't know why Kira said something like that, she should know better than to even think I would allow her to soil her honor like that. I turned around and began to walk towards the elevator, Mu decided to follow me.

Kira just stayed on the bridge, I think she wanted to see how she could help on the bridge. Nartale went to her usual seat on the CIC, and was looking over the transmission we managed to intercept thanks to EDI.

"So Richard no bad feelings about having to kill those pilots? Come on, you can tell me the truth. Not that long ago we were trying to kill each other, these people were people you trained with, worked with, and practically lived with. There is no way that you don't feel bad about killing them."

I looked at him and began shaking my head, "Friends can turn into foes without a moments notice, I think our future time in the lovely Umbrella of Artemis will pretty much show you how true my words are. In combat I leave feelings out of it, combat is hard enough without that distraction."

Mu laughed and smiled at me, "Richard you may say that, but you are not some machine that can turn off parts of your so called programming by flipping a switch, no matter how good of a pilot or warrior you are, you are still only human."

I got off the elevator and began to walk towards the hangar, "And here I was under the impression that all the people in the Earth Alliance considered me a freaky space-mutated monster. You might not want to say that out in the open, your Blue Cosmos Masters might be angry with you."

Mu laughed as he caught up with me, "You know I told Kira to put a lock on his mobile suit, I am suggesting you do the same." I turned around and looked at him, I told him that unlike the Strike I didn't even need to do that, EDI would keep anyone other than me from operating my Gundam.

"If they try to hack my END they will find how scary my little girl can be when she is mad."

Sure enough, the second we docked the base personnel sent armed guards to take me, Natarle and Murrue to meet with the base commanding officer. The fact that they haven't shot me on sight meant that either these people don't know who I was or they wanted something from me.

The walk was by far no guided tour or that pleasant. We all had shackles and it was darn uncomfortable, especially I think mine were actually put on me a little tighter than the others. I could barely feel my hands, and I knew these things were cutting the circulation to my hands from the way it felt.

As soon as we got to the office I saw a man that should never be in any sort of military uniform. I don't think the word obese would be strong enough to describe him. The man looked like he ate three cakes and that was just for breakfast. Next to him was a woman wearing a military uniform, but her top was unbuttoned in such a way that she was showing a lot of her chest.

She had long blonde hair, blue eyes, and the biggest breasts I had ever seen. For some strange reason, she was looking at me like I was something on the menu. Natarle was just looking at her and then at me and she was not happy about the look she was giving me.

"Guards, there is no need to be rude. Please take off those shackles. I apologize for the treatment you received, but since your ship was not properly registered and did not have a friend or foe signal we had to conduct a security check on your ship and on the personnel."

He took one of the file folders and looked at what was inside, "Mu La Flaga, it is nice to see that one of the alliance's most illustrious heroes is alive and well. Commander Murrue Ramius and Natarle Bajirule your records are here as North Atlantic Federation. The one that surprises me the most is seeing a well respected and admired ZAFT officer among you."

He walked over to me and that is when I realized he was not fat, he simply liked to wear several layers of clothing, it seems he was very sensitive to cold temperatures. "You are registered on the ship computer as Richard Yamato, but the communication you sent to the enemy was the personal code of one Richard Zala."

"I don't imagine your father Patrick Zala is going to like to hear that his eldest boy has turned against his own people, don't worry, however, you are perfectly safe in this base." He pushed a button and on the monitor behind him was shown a video display of the ZAFT ship I knew well.

It was one of the ships in my former division, which meant they would not let the Archangel or the G weapon leave without a fight. "There is nothing to fear, as long as we got the Umbrella they can try all they want, but this place is perfectly safe. This should grant you some much needed time for relaxation and plan your next move."

I looked at Mu and he looked at me, it seems we both had the same notion. "So you are saying this base is safe?" The commander laughed as he heard Mu ask that.

"Trust me Commander, you and the people of the Archangel are as safe as a baby in his mother's arms. Now I also happen to know that Richard Zala is also a well-known chess player, I simply can't pass up the chance to play a couple of games against him. You and the others will be shown a place where you can relax."


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

After six games of chess and many attempts by his second in command to get me to agree to be shall we say a lot closer and intimate with her I felt like I had spent those hours swimming through a sewer. I never felt so dirty and slimy in my entire life.

The fool was probably the single worst chess player I ever played the game with, I had to quite literately swallow my own pride and let the fool win all those games just to pad his already over inflated ego. It was the only way that I could make him think that he had gained my trust.

EDI was not simply sitting in that Hangar where they moved my Gundam after all, I had to keep them distracted from the real mission I gave my precious little girl. I told her that the ship has left Heliopolis without proper supplies. She suggested that we take control of the loaders in that base and begin something close to ransacking the base for everything we could get away with.

I imagine she is just having so much fun loading the Archangel with everything an organic would ever need, and some stuff for the maintenance of the Archangel and the Mobile Suits and Mobile Armor aboard. Mu watched me as I entered the room that had been assigned to us and I could see the nasty glare Nartale was giving me.

I walked towards the nearest jug of water and swallowed half the contents of the glass in a single gulp. "I take it your time with the busty beauty and the commanding officer of this base was not pleasant at all. Didn't she do a whole stripper routine for the enjoyment of you and her boss? She certainly seems the type."

I looked at her and she walked away from me, "Nartale I have to tell you, I just spent the most horrible time in my entire life, and that is considering that a bunch of Natural terrorist extremist blew my mother into space dust, and that does not compare to the sheer disgust and rage I feel this moment. So take it from someone like me, drop the subject and let's focus on what needs to be done."

Mu was looking at me as he filled and handed me a second glass of water. "So Richard I take it they tried everything under the sun to get you to shall we say jump ship and basically betray us." I took a sip from the second glass of water and looked at him.

"You have no idea Mu, they didn't just want me to betray you, but they plan to betray the entire Earth Alliance Military. They pretty much offered me a life of luxury, everything an egomaniac like the commander of this base could ever want, all I had to do is reverse engineer the G weapons, improve them a thousand fold and pretend that you and everyone in the Archangel blew up with Heliopolis."

I took another sip and sat down on a rather baggy chair. "So you can imagine the commander and what did you call her? A busty stripper? Well both of them didn't take it quite so well when I told them exactly where they could insert their plans. So no Nartale the busty bimbo will not be jumping me anytime soon."

Murrue looked at me and for once since I known this person she was looking at me with some real sympathy in her eyes. "So what? They decided to throw you in here so we can turn on each other and kill each other?" I could not believe the day I been having, it simply goes from bad to worse and it only keeps getting worse.

"Actually they decided to throw me in here to cool off, a sort of time out, and to make me realize that compared to all the people in here, they have my best intentions in mind. It sure didn't help that they pretty much told me that for one I was already a traitor to my own species, for two they already know Kira actually pilots the strike. Remind me to thank Ms. Flair for that carefully thought outburst of hers."

I took another sip and placed the glass on the table, "And last but not least EDI has been controlling the loaders in this base and she just told me the Archangel is resupplied and ready to leave at a moments notice. Mu you wouldn't believe what they can do about sexual reassignment surgery these days."

I looked at him and he looked at me with a smile on his face, "That's right Mr. La Flaga, the XO in this base was not born she but he. So to answer your little outburst I am not gay, I don't date or have ever felt sexually attracted to members of my own gender, and he has had more surgeries than Frankenstein."

"Now we just have to wait for ZAFT to try and break through the Umbrella and come and try to either steal the Strike or steal the Strike and kill everyone that could tell about it. So, all in all, I didn't have such a pleasant day, it could have been a lot better if you Naturals could develop a little trust in the person who has saved your lives a few times now."

I looked at Murrue and Mu who both apologized for doubting my intentions and integrity, Natarle just kept looking at me and kicking the floor every once in a while, "So you really think they are coming after the Strike?"

I looked at Mu and nodded my head to his idea, "Yes, Mu, I think they will try to either capture or destroy both the Strike and the Archangel. They sure weren't so bothered by the fact that they pretty much destroyed a neutral colony to get the other G weapons, this place is an actually legitimate military target."

"My idea is if one of the G-Weapons is capable of turning invisible, I don't know, by refracting light away from the surface of the Mobile Suit for one, they could launch that Suit and let Newton's laws take care of the propulsion. So I imagine the attack on this base is already planned out and under way."

Mu looked at me as he sat down on the sofa next to my chair, "How did you find out the XO was not a she but a he?" I told him EDI pretty much hacked into their computers when she took over the loaders and started to resupply our ship. She even told me they even tried boarding my Gundam, try being the key word.

My Gundam is keyed to my bio-signature, and thus anyone other than me that tries to operate it or tries to dismantle it meets with a shall we say gruesome end. The nanites that live inside the END tend to be very territorial and thus any attempt to destroy the colony is meet with an equal and ferocious response.

"So if I tried to operate your machine, I would what? Be invaded by the nanites and they would stop my heart?" I looked at Mu as he asked me that, I did mention the response they would cause was ferocious, I guess some people love the gory details or maybe he was just bored.

"They would invade your body, and then dismantle it from the inside on a molecular level, they would then use your remains to build more of themselves or repair the damage you might cause thrashing inside the cockpit. It would be an agonizing five minutes, with no chance of survival or escape."

This made Natarle relaxed a little and sat down right beside me, I can create an entirely self-aware AI, create nanites that can transform a mass-produced Mobile Suit into a finely tuned machine of war, but I guess I will never truly understand women.

One second she was doing right glaring at me like I was a traitor, and talking to me like I had done her a grave insult and now she was sitting right next to looking at my potential injuries and being so friendly just because I told her the supposed bimbo was actually a guy who had a few sex reassignment surgeries.

"Now we just need to wait till the people in that ZAFT ship chasing us make their move. The first chance we get, we make a commission and try to escape." I had to agree with Murrue about that plan, it made the most sense.

I guess Mu and Murrue actually felt more comfortable sitting right next to each other too. "What exactly is keeping you from stealing the Strike yourself and leaving the Archangel and everyone else on this base to be blown to bits by that ZAFT vessel's mega lasers?"

I still can't believe Mu would even ask me such a thing, "For starters, I would have to leave Kira to her death, and my brother asked me to make sure she stayed alive. There is one thing that hurts when the Commanding Officer of this base said but he might not be the only one to think so."

"Since I pretty much had tons of chances to steal the Strike and leave, it would make sense for my ZAFT superiors to think much like he did, and pretty much have given orders to kill on sight since by now they consider me a traitor to the Plants and to ZAFT."

Natarle seemed to press a little closer to me and began rubbing my back, "Don't worry, even if they consider you a traitor, I think I can actually trust you. I know Murrue and I are grateful for all the things you did for us. You even managed to plan a way to resupply the Archangel in a way that we didn't think was possible."

I honestly don't know why she is behaving so much friendlier, I could even say downright flirtatious. I mean she is sitting right next to me by in such a way that every time she turns around to even look at me her body is pressing against my side.

Just as I looked at Murrue I began to wonder how Kira was doing aboard the Archangel. I hope the idiots in this base haven't done anything bad to her, or so help me, they will not need to worry about a ZAFT attack, I will kill them myself.

"Anyways now thanks to you we know that two important things, Eurasia is clearly planning to betray the Earth Alliance, and we got your AI controlling loaders to resupply our ship. All in all, I would say we made quite a bit of progress in a single day."

I couldn't help but stare at Mu as he said that, "Mu I don't know how many times I have to tell you, I consider EDI my daughter! Please stop referring to my little girl as a thing. If you keep that up she is liable to hack that Mobile Armor of yours and make the engines stop working in the middle of a battle."

That had the intended response of his face losing all color at the realization that if EDI could control the loaders she could very easily hack his Mobile Armor too. "What I need to know is where do you go from here? My guess is we are going to the Atlantic Federation Base on the moon."

Natarle looked at me like I was not supposed to know that, "Most heavy Mobile Suit and Gundam development happened on the base moon, everyone knows that. History clearly states that Amaro Ray developed a few Gundams and even tested them on the moon."

Murrue smiled at me in a way I didn't think I ever saw her smile before. "Actually we are meeting at a rendezvous point in Earth's orbit. We are meeting with the man responsible for the very creation of the G-Weapons, Admiral Duane Halberton. Once we meet him he will decide where we shall take the Strike."

No denying that the man she just mentioned to me was a living legend. The man practically wrote the bible about Mobile Suit development and training, I used to read his books every day when I was growing up and during my training days.

I looked at her, "Personally I would prefer to head towards ORB, Kira has family there, and she would be safer with them than with the ever Blue Cosmos loving Federation. I imagine that all this simply will not happen, I don't think I will survive that meeting with the Admiral. The most likely outcome he will call for my immediate execution, either because I am an officer of ZAFT, the son of Patrick Zala, or because he needs to keep the information about the G-weapons secret."

Natarle looked at me and couldn't stop herself from laughing, "The Admiral is a man of high morals, and he is no ungrateful. He more than likely will hear from our Captain that you are one of the people that guarded us till we meet up with him. The G-Weapons have no secrets worth killing to keep hidden. I mean ZAFT has quite a few of them already."

I saw Mu nod his head, "You are also one of the sons of Patrick Zala and that could be quite the price in terms of negotiations. Not to mention I don't think EDI would simply sit there and let some Federal soldiers kill her daddy. I sure wouldn't want to fight her while controlling that monster you created. In your own words, I understand that END of yours would chew me up and not even spit out my bones when it's done with me."

I don't know if that was their intention, but I did feel better after hearing them say those things. Just as I was about to grab a glass of water I heard something explode, I turned my eyes towards the place and somehow I could see what was going on outside.

"ZAFT is attacking, if we want to escape it's now or never." That was their cue to start screaming about how that last explosion had ripped a whole in the wall, Murrue began to scream how they would suffocate, Mu began to scream about how he was too young to die and all the things he never got to do.

I stood at one side of the door and sure enough as soon as the two guards came into either shut us up or to check if we were telling the truth I knocked one out, and when the other turned around and was more than likely going to shoot me, Natarle decided to knock him out with the tray our cups were on.

Both Mu and I took their weapons and began to look out into the corridor, it was empty. "We need to get out of here, and I need to board the END, I am pretty sure Kira is aboard the Strike. You get the other ready to depart, how does that sound for a plan Captain?"

Murrue smiled and nodded her head, "Indeed it sounds like something we can pull off, now you make sure the Strike and you both come back alive. I simply don't have the time to try and help my XO deal with her depression should you two die."

Mu and I both took off in different directions, EDI told me where they were keeping the Strike which she told me has already taken off. I still didn't understand why Natarle would be depressed if both Kira and I died. I guess she would be depressed about the destruction of the Strike and failing her mission.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I never imagined that someone who was always so kind, and so much into making music could become such a monster in that G weapon. I kid you not, I attended his recitals, his music was always so heart moving and he was the sort of guy most mothers would want as a future son in law.

Athrun was nowhere to be seen, this meant that the enemy carrier was not the one with my former Captain, I will say this because Natarle and Kira can't hear me, EDI can, but she would never repeat it, I hate killing people of my own kind. I guess the comments of the dead base commander was hurting and upsetting me more than I first realized.

Mu was having trouble with the carrier itself, Kira was having trouble with the long range G weapon, and the one that was causing me quite a few headaches was the one that could turn invisible. I swear the second I shout at it, it staggers a little and disappears the next second, it was a game of hiding and go seek that went terribly wrong.

EDI was kind enough to block the attempts to form a communications link between us, till she told me it would actually make the other unit easier to locate if I indulge the other pilot in the conversation he clearly wanted. I could practically see what Nicol was going to say.

"Richard I finally was able to get through, look, Richard I knew you a long time, care to explain to me why did you betray your own kind to protect that ship and the Naturals? Did you forget what they did to your family? These Naturals killed your mother Richard! You can't have forgotten or forgiven them for that!"

I swear if Nicole was a girl and she was screaming those things at me, it would be seen as the typical wife accusing her husband of cheating on her. "Nicol, it's not that I betrayed the PLANTS or ZAFT, I didn't betray them at all, it's just that I have something to do and people I need to protect. I can't let you destroy the Strike or the Archangel."

Nicol's face began to look even angrier as I said that, "Oh, I get it, some whoring hussy has used her feminine wiles and seduce you didn't she? She probably knows she has you tied around her little finger! I don't know if you did this to anger me or because you found out your parents had arranged an engagement between you and my older sister."

I had to admit that last part of his comment even caught me by surprise, "Hold on a second there Nicol, as far as I recall you are the only child in your family, I never even seen a picture of this supposed older sister, and let me set you straight, I didn't betray anyone or knew that dad had agreed on arrange marriage, I am only protecting people I care about."

I blasted his weapon to pieces and with END I took hold of his G Weapon before he could disappear again, "You can tell this older sister, which I am sure she is a radiant beauty, that I would never agree to an arranged marriage that never takes into consideration the feelings and ideas of the people involved. Tell her that I know she will find a wonderful husband somewhere, but it's just not going to be me."

I saw the other G weapon was giving Kira a hard time, so I did the only thing I could. I asked EDI to enter the enemy units communication line and send a distress signal. This caused the intended reactions to happen, the other G weapon stopped attacking the Strike and made a beeline towards Nicol and his G weapon. The second he was close enough I sent the END into a spiral and then throw the G weapon it was holding right into the path of the rushing enemy.

The two G weapons collided with each other, and became entangled with each other, I swear if the situation was not as serious as it was, I would be laughing my head off about the way the G Weapons ended up.

I saw Mu basically tear a new one into that carrier, the Mobile Armor might not have the same caliber in weapons as the carrier, but it did have more maneuverability than the carrier which meant Mu could evade their fire while hitting some choice points on the Carrier. Mu, Kira and I saw that they were pretty much going to retreat and so we headed towards the Archangel.

As soon as we landed I began to get out of the END and as soon as I was on the deck of the hangar I felt like someone grabbed me and pulled me into a rather tight hug, I would normally counter that with a throw, but the fact that it was Natarle, and she was crying sort of made me freeze on the spot for a second.

'What the hell is going on! This lady is known to be a major believer in the philosophy of Blue Cosmos, What could motivate her to behave like she is my concerned lover all over the sudden?'

As I waited for her to stop either crying or her hug, I saw no option but to pat her on her back trying to calm her down, that was a mistake since the next thing I know I am getting kissed by her on my lips, and I don't mean a brief peck on my lips either, I mean a real kiss.

I don't mean to be rude but somehow I felt like reciprocating that kiss, and before long we both were kissing each other like I was her husband returning from a long business trip. It was only until we heard Murrue clear her throat that we actually stopped and I looked at Natarle looking all bashful.

I can figure programming an AI, repairing and piloting a Mobile Suit, forming a battle strategy on the fly, but women, that is a mystery I don't think I will ever truly understand. Murrue laughing at her Executive Officer's reaction, and Kira was not helping at all giggling like she was.

As soon as both ladies left I was left standing right on the same spot, I was trying to figure out what hell just happened. "Alright, that does it. I am staying in the cockpit of my mobile suit till I am sure the hangar is empty."

Chief Murdock looked at me with a confused look on his face, "Richard I don't know why you are upset, you weren't that upset a few minutes ago. Honestly if my wife was here she would say you two make a cute couple."

I sat down or at least I tried to sit down on the deck but END moved and placed a hand down so that I could have a place to sit. "Look it's just not something I was expecting alright, Natarle couldn't be more a believer of the political goals and philosophy of Blue Cosmos. You know the group that wants to make sure people like me and Kira is no longer alive?"

"I come down and the next thing I know the person who I was sure hated my kind with a passion, first she is crying, then she hugs me, and finally she kisses me. That is not the sort of welcome you get from a person who has the same beliefs as the group that hates me, my family and everyone like me."

Murdock looked at me and began to nod his head, "Well I guess in a weird way Richard you would be correct, except you are not taking several things into account. You helped her escape certain death, managed to restock and resupply the Archangel and even managed to get us and the Strike out of a jam like that."

He gave me a weird look I didn't like and decided to continue, "You doing that whole knight in shining armor saving all our lives, well I guess you must have actually made her fall in love with you."

I began shaking my head at the very notion, "I have a counter theory to yours Chief, maybe she is planning to use my hormones against me and use my emotions to manipulate me like a puppet by putting on that act in hopes of me being seduced and then she would pretty much have me tied around her little finger."

Murdock smiled and began to pat me hard on my back, "Like I said, she might have fallen in love with you. A woman in love will most certainly try to have you wrapped around her finger, after all in my wife's opinion it is the only way to keep a guy a woman is interested into herself. Let's face it, you and every wiped husband that ever existed came up with the same theory you just mentioned."

That is when I heard the sweet voice of my little girl, "So daddy does that mean Natarle is going to be one day my mommy?" I tried very hard to stop blushing as the entire maintenance crew began laughing as soon as EDI said that.

I looked at Kira and for some reason she was still waiting for me, I decided to see what she wanted to tell me. I walked over to her and she began shaking her head as soon as I saw her close enough.

"Honestly Richard, you think that Natarle would use you by trying to seduce you? Let's face it, Richard, I knew you for years, and if anyone should be concerned about having her feelings used to manipulate her it's Natarle being concerned about you seducing her. Need I remind you how many broken hearts you have left behind you and that is only in the PLANTS."

I truly found that comment to be a rather insulting comment, "Kira I will have you know I never dated when I was growing up. I was too busy either studying or getting ready to join ZAFT."

We both got in the lift and she pushed a button for the main deck. "What about Mira? Celia? Or even Susan?" I didn't think I need to explain my history with those women to Kira, I guess I really hate to either have a serious talk with Athrun or thank him for respecting my privacy more than his girlfriend ever did.

"Mira and I were in the same team in our Information Systems Class, Celia was a good sparring partner and she actually likes girls, and Susan and I both had to take remedial classes in ZAFT regulations."

"Susan's mother was your instructor for that class, don't make me laugh. You never needed to take a single remedial class in all the years I known you. You took that remedial class to spend some time with her, how funny that the two of you were the only people in that class that needed to take a remedial class on that subject."

I began to put two and two together and it's true I never realized that indeed Susan and I were in that remedial class and we were often alone, if alone you mean me, her and her mother. So that is what was going on, she used her position as an instructor to get me to spend some more time with her own daughter trying to make us seem like a couple.

"I had no interest in Susan, Celia or Mira and you know it Kira! You better stop teasing me or I might let everyone know on this ship about your true status? You wouldn't want the captain and the other officers knowing that they have a real live princess on board the Archangel now would you? I image they would prevent you from ever boarding the Strike if they found out about that."

That is when Kira turned pale and looked at me with an utter look of fear or even terror. "You wouldn't dare. You know me, you and Mu are the only pilots capable of protecting the Archangel and your precious Natarle."

I got off the lift and began to walk towards the mess hall. "Nice try Kira, but trust me the filthy Naturals in charge of the military that own this ship are more than likely going to want to destroy it anyways. This ship was made with the help of Coordinator Engineers, Scientist, and Systems Analysts. The Blue Cosmos loving fools would never want to keep this ship intact."

I walked over to the coffee dispenser and served myself a nice cup and took it to an empty table. I sat down and began to drink it. "You sure about that? This ship is a marvel and an absolute wonder as a ship. Are you sure you don't want some cream and sugar for that coffee."

I put down the cup and looked at her, "It might not be as sweet as a first kiss, and it's blacker than the devil's own hooves, but as long as it's coffee I will drink it. Besides I need something to take the bitter taste from my mouth."

Kira sure was on a role today, "Are you sure it was that bitter? I seem to recall you really liking that kiss, or so it looked to me." That does it, I need to make sure Kira knows when I give her a warning she better listen.

I looked at Mu as he sat down on the same table we were seated and he was also drinking a cup of coffee as black as mine. "Hey, Mu did you ever see a picture of the princess of ORB? I sure liked the way she looked in that dress she wore when she went on that state dinner."

Mu put down his cup and began to nod, Kira was looking more than a little worried. "You mean Princess Yula Athha, yea I have to agree with you on that Richard, she sure looked quite cute. She sort of reminds me of Kira here for some odd reason."

She was pleading with me with her eyes for me to drop it, "I know what you mean Mu, I guess Kira would look nice to actually be wearing a dress like that, too bad Kira is such a tomboy. I don't think I ever saw her wear a dress."

That caused me, Mu and every man in the mess hall to begin laughing, and Kira was blushing as bright as the fire alarm light during drills.

"So Murdock told me you and Natarle spend a few minutes making out in the hangar deck. What is the matter Richard? You seem a little upset that I know that, you should know better than that, you should know those guys in the maintenance crew love to gossip."

" **KIRA YAMATO, RICHARD YAMATO, MU LA FLAGA REPORT TO THE BRIDGE, I REPEAT KIRA YAMATO, RICHARD YAMATO AND MU LA FLAGA REPORT TO THE BRIDGE."**

I briefly looked at Mu and Kira who were getting up from their seats. "They do know my name is Richard Zala don't they?" I finished my cup of coffee and got up.

Mu was walking right by me and he was laughing, "Come on Richard, don't sweat the small details. Remember they had to input your name as Richard Yamato or those in High Command might want to hold you as a political hostage to gain some leverage over your father."

As we got on the lift and he pressed the button for the bridge I looked at him and Kira as I leaned on the wall of the lift. "You might think that is true, but that is because you don't know my father. He would not let himself be influenced even if they had me and Athrun both, in fact, I image father actually demanding that we both be executed for allowing ourselves to be captured in the first place, as punishment for embarrassing ZAFT."

Mu decided to ask me something else, "You, Athrun and Kira went to the same Academy so tell me when was it when Kira went to live on Heliopolis?" I told him it was shortly after we had finished our standard education. "I went off to Officer Training with Athrun, and Kira had to move away since her family got a job at Heliopolis. I got to say, Athrun really missed you, Kira, I guess he gave you that bird robot of yours so that you remember him."

Kira smiled at me and nodded her head, "I still have Birdie actually, I been taking very good care of it. I wonder who has your Haro?" I told him more than likely it was still in my home back on the PLANTS. Before I made EDI I have to admit that Haro was the best digital assistant I ever had, sort of miss his upbeat and happy personality but I was not about to let the people in this ship know that.


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Gundam Seed, this is a fanfiction only.

I could pretty much guess what this conversation was going to be about, EDI pretty much told me last night that for some odd reason there was one thing she actually didn't have to replenish in Heliopolis, that supply was water.

The Archangel was going to be going on their maiden voyage, which means the ship's supply must have been full, but then last night she told me there were signs that the water supply had been almost entirely depleted.

I could think of at least several reasons for the water supply to drop, but the most obvious was that we had a lot of refugees, and to make that worse I think one of Kira's friends is something of a person who wasted a lot of that water.

This person completely ignored the water restrictions that the Captain set in place due to the refugees who were still aboard. The person that came to mind was one Flay Allster, the daughter of a high-ranking Earth official. My guess is she thought that to hell with the regulations, she was not going to put up with her smelling bad.

In other words, we found ourselves in a situation where we could run out of water and all because of her vanity. Honestly, if she was what earth officials behave like, I was starting to miss the calm and orderly life back at the PLANTS.

"So Richard do you have any idea why they are calling us?" I looked at Mu and began nodding my head, and just as before I could even speak the sweet delicate sound of my little girl's voice was heard in the elevator.

"I told daddy that someone really stupid had wasted a lot of water. Honestly Daddy, why did the captain make those awful restrictions if the one person in the ship can through all caution to the wind for her own personal comfort."

Kira looked at me and I could feel her glaring at me, "Honestly Kira, EDI doesn't mean you. She means that girl that came with us from Heliopolis, what was her name? Flay something, I think you told me she was the boyfriend of the guy with the glasses. I think his name was Sai."

She began to relax and nod her head, "Yes, Flay Allster, I would be mindful of how you speak with her, she has this very delusional idea that since her father is a high-ranking Earth official that makes her think she is royalty."

Mu began to laugh as he looked at me, "Well Marie Antoinette was royalty, her wasteful habits ended up causing her to lose her own head, you would think Flay would understand that."

As I looked at Mu the door of the elevator came open and we began to get out towards the bridge. Natarle was actually smiling at me for some odd reason, I guess our conversation was heard by the entire bridge.

"I would personally consider her more like Adolf Hitler than Marie Antoinette truth be told, but EDI is correct, due to the wasteful habits of one young woman, now we are facing a crisis. I appreciate you using the scrubbers to clean your machine and those of your fellow pilots. I could have asked the maintenance crew but you told the Chief that you wanted to help, I found that rather touching Richard."

Nartale was glaring daggers at Murrue as she said that, it didn't help that for some reason she had unbuttoned her coat and she was flashing a rather nice view of her cleavage at the three of us, for some odd reason I think the attempted seduction was directed towards Mu.

"Well I happen to have a solution to that problem, we are currently headed towards the moon, which means we will fly awfully close to the debris belt. We can restock our water there, there should be plenty of water for us to gather and replenish our supply from the many ships and other sources."

Mu did have a point, but that didn't make me happy at all. The remains of the colony where my mother was are more than likely one of the sources of water in that orbiting junk pile, if not going to be the main source of water since that colony was an agricultural colony they had ample supply of water for watering the crops.

I look at the Captain and Mu for a second, they weren't kidding. I really hate that resource wasting parasite, I will probably sing out of sheer joy once Flay gets herself off the Archangel.

"Very well, I will switch my END to stand by and help in the collection of the ice, but I do so as long as I can object for the record. There is only one mass of water large enough to provide what this ship needs, even with that girl wasting water like there is no tomorrow. The destroyed Junius Seven colony."

Kira looked at me with pity in her eyes, and Mu was a bit confused as to why I would be against collecting water from that particular place, that is until he apparently remembered that my name is actually Richard Zala.

"Objection noted, but you are still required to obtain water for this ship. We shall arrive in the asteroid in ten minutes, be ready to deploy at that time." I turned around and began going towards the elevator.

As I reached the elevator I suddenly felt someone stare at me, it was Natarle still pretending it seems, "Why are you against this ship collecting water from that wreck? They are dead, and don't need the water, we do."

I guess I should expect a Natural to look into my background information, or that they would keep accurate information on those of my kind. I turned around to see Mu and Kira coming towards the elevator so I held the door open for them.

I looked at Natarle began shaking my head, "Because that is the place my mother was murdered by your precious Blue Cosmos terrorists, the excuse they needed to cause this entire bloody war. So forgive me if I don't want to visit the place that is basically the place my own mother died on."

I entered the elevator and as soon as I saw the others get in I closed the door. I decided to avoid any problems with Flay and the others I would go back to the END and discuss things with EDI. I needed to come up with an idea on how to collect the resources we needed quickly and efficiently, to minimize the time we desecrate that burial site.

I got off the elevator on the hangar level and began going for my END, and sure enough, the hatch was already open. "Honestly EDI, from being a defender of my people to a traitor, and now a grave robber, I wonder how much worse can my life actually get?"

Just as I sat down EDI decided to tell me it seems, "Well daddy you still have that cheesed off older sister of Nicol, and the remainder of your squad that could consider you a traitor, well everyone but Uncle Athrun, you are not going to even be able to attend the engagement party between my uncle and Lacus."

I could not help but sigh as she mentioned that. "EDI did you forget that Kira and my brother Athrun are actually lovers, and are very much thinking of getting married right?"

I swear EDI was laughing as I finished saying that, I think my baby girl is developing a rather twisted sense of humor, and I know she didn't pick that up from me or did she?

Guard duty, that is pretty much what I call it, watching a few civilians use cargo loaders to cut and transport ice from the remains of Junius Seven to the Archangel, it didn't help matters that the remains of my mother were part of the debris they would need to sort through, if I was lucky they will not find her body.

Just as we were ready to finish with the rather touchy memorial ceremony, who knew the kids inside the Archangel had actually begun to make hundreds of paper flowers, I got to say it was rather touching, after the ceremony they continued to cut large pieces of ice, this was going rather well, and the ceremony did let the people cutting and gathering the frozen water to have a nice little break.

Kira was watching out for her friends, and to me at least it looked like she was looking rather nervous. I asked EDI to do a passive scan on any possible enemy signals, and sure enough, there were three signals, one was an escape pod, the other two ZAFT mobile suits.

Without even thinking about it Kira began to open fire against one of the Mobile Suits, it seems the pilot noticed what the others were doing and had turned around to investigate. I had no time to try to communicate to the pilots, Kira using the Strike blew one of the JINN apart and that pretty drew the attention of the remaining JINN.

I had seconds to react and I pulled the trigger and in a matter of seconds, the second ZAFT mobile suit was nothing more than floating pieces of metal. I piloted the END to be near the Strike and for some odd reason I felt like asking Kira if she was alright, the sound of her hyperventilating, crying, and screaming as she sobbed on what we had done told me she was not alright, not one bit.

That is when I realized my biggest mistake, Kira might be a genius when it comes to Mobile Suits, and Mobile Systems, but she was a civilian. This probably is the third time she has ever been in combat, I have to keep that in mind from now on, she isn't a soldier like I am.

I touched the communications and looked at the area where out battle happened, "Kira I know you feel bad, but we still have that escape pod to deal with, I guess it will make you feel better if we bring that thing on board."

She stopped crying and I looked at her nodding her head. "Yea, let's get that pod into the hangar. I just hate this colossal waste of human life, Richard why do things like this happen?"

I never thought that I would be telling the exact same thing father told me when I killed my first enemy, "Kira this is war, war brings out the worst in people. Had you not killed that enemy, your friends, your allies would have been dead, and so would happen to you too."

As we got to the hangar everyone was present, and Nartale for once was actually showing how she was feeling, to say the woman was feeling upset would be sugar coating it, she was madder than a pit bull that had rabies.

I guess if the pod had an Earth Alliance insignia she would not be as angry, I walked over and looked at Chief Murdock as he kept trying to open the pod. I looked at him and began to realize what was wrong. "Chief let me have a crack at that, I might get lucky if I enter all those entry codes that I remember from back home."

He moved away and I began to push the buttons, it was a six digit code, and just for the hell of it, I pressed the numbers that made up the sequence for the birth date of Lacus Clyne. Her family and mine had been long time friends, and she was even my childhood friend, so of course, I remember her birthday.

As almost as if life was playing a joke on me the hatch of the opened and the first thing I saw was a Haro robot, which began to give me a bad feeling, the next thing that floated out of the pod was not who I was expecting, it was one my dearest childhood friends, floating wearing a frilly dress, and looking rather confused.

"Honestly how rude, don't you know you are supposed to give a lady a hand." I, of course, was already ready to do that, it's just that seeing her float out of there was a surprise that I was not expecting.

The force of pulling her made her crash into me, "Richard! I was told you died in battle. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, does that mean we are on a ZAFT ship?" I could not tell if she was thinking we were on a ZAFT ship because she saw me or because she would never expect me to find me anywhere else.

"Actually Lacus we are on board an Earth Alliance vessel. My friend Kira is here too, but why were in that escape pod Lacus? Last time I saw you, you told me you wanted to pursue a career as a singer."

She looked at the other uniformed people and realized I was telling her the truth, she immediately began to press herself even harder against my body, her head resting on my chest as we both floated through the air of the hangar.

"I was there for the memorial ceremony for the PLANT were your mother died, I know I should be scared but I know that I feel a whole lot better seeing you here, to keep me safe. I missed you a lot, and it has been a long time since you touched me like this, I wouldn't let any other man touch me like this, except you, my beloved Richard, coming to my rescue like my own knight in shining armor."

I was going to say something about it, but she just didn't give me any chance to do so, she moved so that we actually hit one of the walls and I was literally pressed between her and the wall when she took advantage of the position we were in and kissed me on my lips, I need I am sure we dated for a while and even made a few jokes about her and my brother getting engaged.

That is when I heard someone clear her throat, and by her I mean Natarle, she must have come to where we were rather fast, "As much as I enjoy seeing this public display of affection, duty requires me to take this young woman to the Captain, and quite possibly the brig. Richard, Kira why don't you stay and help with the processing of the ice and see if there is anything useful in that pod."

Kira actually was confused by what happened and came to where we were, and as soon as they actually tried to take her to the Captain's room, I thought that maybe she will feel more relaxed with the two of us as moral support, so we decided to go with her. For some reason Natarle was looking even more upset, I wonder why?


End file.
